John Ellis (Fianna Fail)

This motion gives an opportunity to express our sincere thanks to the local authorities for how they reacted in a very severe situation. This was never a crisis for some people until Dublin got a scattering of snow one evening and roads became slippery. Down in the country we had to live with it for two to three weeks before Dublin was hit. At that stage people did not realise how much work the local authorities in rural areas had put in to ensure our roads were passable and our water systems were kept flowing to the highest possible standards at the time.

We must also accept that it has been 25 or 26 years since we had the same depth of snow and almost 40 years since we had frost as severe as we had this year. It exposed a considerable amount of shoddy work that had been done, not just by private individuals. People discovered that the water pipes leading to their houses, instead of being 18 inches to 2 ft. underground, were only nine inches and in some cases were stuck under the footpaths outside houses. They froze overnight. These people did not realise corners had been cut in many cases - corners were also cut in a supervisory role by local authorities in many cases - and they ended up with a disaster as a result. Many of the water problems were caused by a failure to adhere to best practice in laying water mains and installing connections to houses. We saw the result and we shall see it again. People are now aware of the sorts of problems they can face in severe weather.

People talk about the roads. The second and third class roads became a total mess and sheets of ice towards the end of the severe weather. However, it was not in all cases the fault of the local authority, the Government or anyone else. In many cases surface water was coming out onto some of these roads which became skating rinks. We all drive every day on roads where water is being allowed to flow onto roads resulting in a skating rink if there is a touch of frost at all. We need to consider what we do for the future. It may be time to consider allowing the local communities access to grit, salt or whatever may be necessary to deal with the problem. In many local communities it was the efforts of farmers and others, who took out their tractors and transport boxes and got grit and anything available to give grip, that allowed people access to and from their homes.

The motion was only tabled for party political reasons. If I were on the other side of the House I would do the same. The substance of the motion is laughable. Some of the suggestions it makes do not stand up to scrutiny. It calls on the Government to "establish a single water semi state utility company to take over responsibility for water investment and management on a national basis". There are group schemes throughout the country that are doing a good job. Who will pay for this new body? John and Mary citizen will have to carry the cost of the extra personnel it is proposed to employ. My colleagues on the Opposition benches know that John and Mary citizen are already well and truly overtaxed-----